Redistricting

with extensive commentary from Rucho. You can either take the time to read his whiny comments, or accept my translation: We're doing exactly what we want, so stop your bitching.

Jim Morrill has a good summary of how twisted the GOP redistricting plan really is. But not to worry, Republican Bob Rucho says they'll "try" to correct anomalies where they can.

Just to say it, there is no try, Mr. Rucho. There is do or do not. Take a stand, sir.

The NC Democratic Party calls a spade a spade. Via email.

The GOP maps mean big opportunities for the children of gerrymandering in new majority Republican seats across the state. How many more Berger Babies are there?

On July 13th, the General Assembly is coming back to Raleigh – and so are we!

Republican leaders want to (1) pass new restrictions on voting in North Carolina, (2) adopt redistricting maps that misuse the Voting Rights Act to carve out more strongholds for conservatives, and (3) override Governor Perdue's vetoes, including the one against the voter photo ID bill.

Please join Democracy North Carolina and the Respect Our Vote coalition on July 13th to make it plain that we won’t tolerate partisan attacks on our right to vote or be represented. GOP leaders have reneged on their promise to bring more openness to government and more jobs to our state's struggling communities. Instead, they’ve passed laws for their campaign donors and their own partisan gain.

Learn more about the rally and RSVP here: http://bit.ly/iAGgZ9

I'm breaking my own rule against links to the N&O with this excellent slam by Rob Christensen on the Republican's whacked out redistricting plan. Maybe the Old Reliable is starting to wake up?

I am writing this column in my office in downtown Raleigh, which under the Republican plan will be in the same congressional district as Elizabeth City, 165 miles northeast. (If only I were so close to the beach.) When I am finished I will go home to Cary, which under the GOP plan will be in the same U.S. House district as Sampson County. Do you reckon the Cary planning board will allow industrial hog farming in solidarity with its new country cousins?

From the team at Daily Kos Elections, with much more commentary available here. The table below is the heart of the analysis, and a great example of bloggers beating the pants off the mainstream media when it comes to digging into the nitty gritty details.

Looks exactly like the illegal clusterfuck we knew it would be, which means it probably won't survive legal challenges intact.

Char-O has the best coverage.

Jim Morrill does a good job breaking down the current state of lunacy, an unfolding plot that will only sicken as times goes by. It's going to be a long and messy war, with enough litigation to keep Stam's army of Christian lawyers busy for at least two years. Keep an eye out for the inevitable stream paternalistic bullshit from the GOP, like this blazing bit of condescension from the Matthews Maniac. "We have a responsibility to be able to help the minority population be able to choose a candidate of their choice," said GOP Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews, who chairs the Senate Redistricting Committee.

Thank goodness for Senator Dan Blue. Here's hoping there's an army of lawyers lined up to turn this skirmish into a full-fledged war. Josh Ellis gets the story.

Early versions of maps for some state House and Senate seats would create new districts where the majority of voters are African American. However, one state lawmaker is already questioning the legality of those proposed boundaries.

“I think they unnecessarily and probably illegally pack minority voters into districts,” said Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake. “I need to analyze them a little bit further, but my initial impression is they’re engaged in packing in non-Section 5 Voting Rights Act districts.”

Emphasis mine